Which one among the following was not one of the causes of the Third Anglo-Maratha War?

The Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817–1818) was primarily caused by the Maratha chiefs' desire to regain independence from restrictive British treaties, such as the Treaty of Bassein and the Treaty of Poona [2]. Lord Hastings' aggressive campaign against the Pindaris was perceived by the Marathas as a violation of their sovereignty, prompting Peshwa Baji Rao II to organize a united front [1]. The war effectively began with the Peshwa's attack on the British Residency at Khirki in November 1817 [2]. While the Pindaris were irregular military bands often associated with Maratha armies, the notion that the Pindaris themselves designed a plan to seek Maratha support specifically to drive the English out of India is historically inaccurate. Instead, the British used the Pindari threat as a pretext to finalize their paramountcy and give a finishing blow to the Maratha power [2].

Sources

1. [1] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 5: Expansion and Consolidation of British Power in India > Background > p. 106
2. [2] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 5: Expansion and Consolidation of British Power in India > Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817-19) > p. 107